2 Chronicles 28 21

2 Chronicles 28:21 kjv

For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of the LORD, and out of the house of the king, and of the princes, and gave it unto the king of Assyria: but he helped him not.

2 Chronicles 28:21 nkjv

For Ahaz took part of the treasures from the house of the LORD, from the house of the king, and from the leaders, and he gave it to the king of Assyria; but he did not help him.

2 Chronicles 28:21 niv

Ahaz took some of the things from the temple of the LORD and from the royal palace and from the officials and presented them to the king of Assyria, but that did not help him.

2 Chronicles 28:21 esv

For Ahaz took a portion from the house of the LORD and the house of the king and of the princes, and gave tribute to the king of Assyria, but it did not help him.

2 Chronicles 28:21 nlt

Ahaz took valuable items from the LORD's Temple, the royal palace, and from the homes of his officials and gave them to the king of Assyria as tribute. But this did not help him.

2 Chronicles 28 verses

2 Chronicles 28 21 Meaning

King Ahaz, facing dire military threats and spiritual distress, resorted to plundering sacred and royal resources—taking valuables from the House of the LORD (the Temple), his own royal palace, and the property of his officials. This vast wealth was then given as tribute to Tiglath-pileser, the king of Assyria, in a desperate attempt to secure his military aid. However, the verse decisively concludes that this extensive and sacrilegious effort provided no benefit or assistance to Ahaz, demonstrating the futility and negative consequences of trusting in foreign powers and human schemes rather than relying on the LORD.

2 Chronicles 28 21 Context

This verse occurs within the narrative of King Ahaz's apostate reign in Judah (2 Chronicles 28). Ahaz notoriously abandoned the worship of the LORD, engaged in idolatry, offered his own sons as burnt offerings to pagan gods, and established altars for foreign deities throughout Jerusalem. Due to his wickedness, God allowed severe judgments upon Judah, including devastating attacks from the Syrians, Israelites, Edomites, and Philistines, leading to massive casualties and widespread captivity. Faced with such overwhelming threats, instead of repenting and seeking the LORD, Ahaz turned to Tiglath-pileser III, the powerful king of Assyria, for military intervention. Verse 21 describes the exorbitant price Ahaz paid for this alliance—looting the holiest and wealthiest institutions of his kingdom—and reveals its ultimate failure. This context starkly contrasts Ahaz's ungodly choices with the warnings and opportunities for repentance offered by the prophets like Isaiah.

2 Chronicles 28 21 Word analysis

• For (כִּי - kî): Connective particle, indicating cause or explanation. It links Ahaz's action in this verse to the distressing outcome mentioned in the preceding verse (2 Chr 28:20).
• Ahaz (אָחָז - Achaz): The fourteenth king of Judah. His name ironically means "he has grasped" or "possessor," yet his reign was characterized by a loss of spiritual and national integrity, grasping at pagan alliances.
• took away (וַיִּגְזֹל - vayigzol): From the verb גָּזַל (gazal), meaning "to rob, plunder, snatch away." This word emphasizes a violent, illegitimate, and wrongful appropriation, indicating theft and desecration, not merely taxation or a voluntary contribution. It conveys a strong sense of violation.
• a portion (חֵלֶק - cheleq): Lit. "a part, a share, an allotted portion." Here it refers to a significant, often valuable, amount or designated resource. It highlights the extent of the plundering.
• from the house of the LORD (מִבֵּית יְהוָה - mibbêt YHVH): Refers to the Jerusalem Temple. This specifies the sacrilegious nature of Ahaz's act, as he was seizing items dedicated to God, including treasures and sacred vessels.
• from the house of the king (וּמִבֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ - ūmibbêt hammēlekh): The royal palace and treasury. This indicates the depletion of national assets and royal reserves.
• and from the leaders (וְהַשָּׂרִים - wəhaśśārîm): Refers to the officials, nobles, or princes of Judah. This implies either forced contributions from them or outright confiscation of their wealth, showcasing Ahaz's oppressive and desperate rule.
• and gave it (וַיִּתֵּן - wayyitten): From the verb נָתַן (nathan), "to give." In this context, it functions as "presented" or "handed over," implying tribute or a bribe offered for protection.
• to the king of Assyria (לְמֶלֶךְ אַשּׁוּר - ləmēlekh Ashur): Tiglath-pileser III (Pul), the then-dominant regional superpower. Ahaz's act of turning to him was a profound statement of his distrust in the LORD.
• but it did not help him (וְלֹא לְעֵזֶר לוֹ הָיָה - wəlō lə‘ezer lō hāyāh): This crucial phrase provides the divine commentary. The Hebrew word עֵזֶר ('ezer) means "help, assistance, succor." The emphatic "but not... was it" underscores the utter failure and futility of Ahaz's worldly strategy. It demonstrates God's sovereign control and the vanity of seeking salvation outside of Him.

• "For Ahaz took away a portion from the house of the LORD, from the house of the king, and from the leaders": This detailed inventory underscores the comprehensiveness of Ahaz's sacrilege and desperate actions. He emptied the most revered (Temple), royal (palace), and aristocratic (leaders') treasuries, highlighting his absolute disregard for divine institutions, national wealth, and the trust of his people in his desperate pursuit of human security.
• "and gave it to the king of Assyria; but it did not help him": This clause reveals the specific purpose and outcome of Ahaz's plunder. The massive tribute was given to Assyria for help, but the subsequent "did not help him" functions as God's verdict on Ahaz's ungodly choice. It emphasizes that human schemes, no matter how costly or morally bankrupt, are ineffective when they contradict God's will or when one refuses to seek divine deliverance. This phrase perfectly encapsulates the recurring biblical theme of the futility of trusting in earthly powers instead of the Almighty.

2 Chronicles 28 21 Bonus section

• Ahaz's actions here represent a classic example of trusting in "chariots and horses" (foreign military power and alliances) rather than in "the name of the LORD" (Psa 20:7).
• The chronicler, more than the parallel account in 2 Kings, highlights the spiritual desecration involved, emphasizing the plundering of "the house of the LORD." This aligns with the book's overarching focus on covenant faithfulness and Temple reverence.
• Ahaz's choice to strip the Temple of its resources instead of seeking the Lord through legitimate Temple worship reflects a deeper spiritual malaise where outward forms of worship lose their meaning in the face of spiritual rebellion.
• This verse stands as a powerful cautionary tale against relying on desperate worldly measures or sacrificing spiritual principles for temporary, superficial security. True help comes only from the LORD.
• The phrase "it did not help him" is an implicit vindication of the prophetic warnings issued during Ahaz's time, especially from Isaiah, who urged Ahaz to trust in God's sovereign protection rather than human alliances (Isa 7:4-9).

2 Chronicles 28 21 Commentary

2 Chronicles 28:21 paints a vivid picture of King Ahaz's ultimate spiritual bankruptcy. Facing the crushing pressures of invasion and divine judgment for his apostasy, Ahaz did not humble himself before the LORD; instead, he committed a profound act of sacrilege and political shortsightedness. He meticulously stripped away the wealth from the Temple, the royal treasury, and even his own officials—resources that signified divine consecration, national strength, and civil authority—and offered them as a bribe to the Assyrian king for military aid. This was not merely a pragmatic move but a deep act of disloyalty to the covenant God. The sharp concluding phrase, "but it did not help him," serves as a stark theological commentary. It unequivocally declares that Ahaz's immense, faithless sacrifice of Israel's sacred and material wealth achieved precisely nothing in terms of actual deliverance. On the contrary, as mentioned in the preceding verse, the Assyrian alliance brought "distress" rather than genuine help, solidifying Assyria's grip on Judah. This verse exemplifies the futile and damaging consequences of turning from the living God to seek help from human might or worldly solutions, particularly when such efforts involve disrespecting what is holy and robbing God. It reminds us that reliance on earthly powers, especially when pursued through ungodly means, cannot secure lasting peace or true deliverance.